Add Marty Turco to the Trade Market?

The latest live chat by Mike Heika’s Stars Blog reveals interest in Marty Turco by one team that desperately needs help between the pipes: the Philadelphia Flyers. Turco, an impending free-agent and life-long Star, certainly would seem different outside a Dallas uniform.

As rumors swirl around a possible Jeff Carter and Claude Giroux for Ilya Kovalchuk swap, this reporter feels the Flyers really need to address their goaltending situation. As successful as the team has been over the years, their one downfall has always been a weak goalie. Forcing a star player, and most likely rental, to adapt in a couple of months while gutting part of the core to do so.

This year the Flyers play between the pipes struggled mightily. Between Brian Boucher, Ray Emery and now Michael Leighton the team sports a hefty2.85 GAA and .897 SV%, certainly not statistics you would see on a Stanley Cup contender.

With rumors in Dallas leading to both Turco and Mike Ribeiro exiting the greater state of Texas, the cash strapped Stars may by default go into a full rebuild. Beleaguered defenseman Braydon Coburn may show some interest as well as other young trade chips Mika Pyorala, David Laliberte or Darroll Powe.

With Turco, Philadelphia gets a player two years removed from leading the Stars to the Western Conference Finals. However, since almost attaining entry into the finals Turco simply has not been the same posting a below average 2.81 GAA and .898 SV% last season.

So since Dallas may rebuild and he is a UFA after the season, would the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native take a small vacation to a contender in order to build value in free agency. What other teams would even be interested or show a glaring need in a 34-year-old goalie with diminishing skills.

Still with decent peripherals this year, the Flyers could do worse. Their season seemed over as Boucher left the game last night with a finger laceration. One can only wonder what would happen should the veteran go down for the season. Locker room issues, a change in the coaching staff and now two goalies going down leads to a genuine feeling of disappointment in Philadelphia which can only be turned around with a deep run into the playoffs.

Would Turco bring them into the playoffs? Would Kovalchuk at the expense of two cornerstone building young players bring them to where they need to be? Only time will tell. The team as currently constructed needs to change. Whether that change is in the front office, another coaching change or a complete rebuild is another question.

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